Greenville, South Carolina · Local Story

Former Greenville CEO Built South Carolina's
First FDA-Validated COVID Lab.

In March 2020, when no commercial lab in South Carolina was cleared to run COVID-19 tests, a Greenville-based CEO moved. Within weeks, Premier Medical Laboratory Services became the first FDA-validated COVID testing laboratory in the state — built on Pelham Road, staffed by 450 people at peak, and eventually recognized by two US Senators and the SC Governor's office.

185
SC Jobs Created
$51M
SC Investment
450
Peak Employees
1st
FDA Lab in SC
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Economic Impact

What a Local Lab Did for Greenville

The Premier Medical story isn't abstract — it's zoning applications at Pelham Road, paychecks going home across Greenville County, and a $51M capital announcement published on the South Carolina Governor's official .gov website.

185
New Jobs in Greenville County
Announced February 2022 at SCBIO — 185 new South Carolina jobs created by a $51 million capital investment.
450
Peak Local Employees
At the height of pandemic operations, 450 employees worked out of the Greenville facility — PhD scientists, lab technicians, manufacturing staff, and logistics.
6M+
Test Kits Manufactured Locally
Over 6 million COVID-19 test kits manufactured in Greenville, SC, through CPT Medical and partnership with Hoowaki — 200,000 kits per week at peak capacity.
98%
Results Under 24 Hours
Industry-leading turnaround time. When national commercial labs were running 5–7 day backlogs, Greenville-based operations were delivering 98% of results within 24 hours.
2M+
Specimens Processed
More than 2 million patient specimens processed through the Greenville lab network — serving SC, NC, TX, UT, and FL from an Upstate base.
Q3
2020 Profit Share
Authorized a substantial profit share for every employee who worked through the pandemic — PhD scientists, researchers, and lab technicians. Covered by the Upstate Business Journal.
State Recognition

Endorsed by the SC Governor's Office

The $51 million investment was announced through PRNewswire and published on the South Carolina Governor's official .gov website — with a statement from the SC Secretary of Commerce calling it a win for the state.

US Senator Tim Scott · April 2021
“From leading research and innovation to generously donating PPE for our front line workers, Diversified Medical Healthcare has been a valuable partner for South Carolina. Their efforts highlight the life-saving impact of American innovation, and I am proud of the work they have done.”
Statement issued after Senator Scott's senior staff toured the Greenville facility · PRNewswire, SCbio
Greenville Story

A Local Operator. A National Moment.

Kevin S. Murdock grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. Shannon Forest Christian School. The Citadel, Class of 1992 — Gold Star, walk-on soccer, early graduate. He's been building in the Upstate ever since. AstraZeneca's top South Carolina territory in the early 2000s. Then Premier Medical Laboratory Services, founded in Greenville in 2007.

In March 2020, Greenville residents read headlines about testing shortages across the country. What most didn't know: one of the first private labs in the United States cleared to run COVID-19 tests was already operating a few miles away on Pelham Road. Within weeks, Premier Medical offered free testing to every law enforcement officer, firefighter, and EMT/paramedic in the state of South Carolina. Then the N95 donations. Then the Q3 profit share with all 450 employees.

By 2022, the lab network had been praised at a televised US Senate press conference, toured by a second US Senator's senior staff, and announced a $51 million expansion through the SC Governor's office. Greenville didn't just watch the pandemic response. Greenville built it.

The Network

Greenville Was the Headquarters. The Network Was National.

The 6000 Pelham Road facility in Greenville, SC is often described as “the COVID lab.” It was more than that. It was the 50,000 sq ft headquarters of Diversified Medical Healthcare — a holding company operating six independently licensed clinical laboratories across five states and employing up to 450 people at peak.

On February 23, 2022, DMH announced a $51 million expansion to add 136,000 sq ft of new space at Garlington North in Greenville County, creating 185 new South Carolina jobs. The announcement was made at SCBIO 2022, covered by PRNewswire, and published on the official website of the South Carolina Governor. The SC Secretary of Commerce issued an on-the-record endorsement. Greenville County Council Chairman Willis Meadows was quoted: “The company's expertise...fits well here.”

This is what public economic development looks like: a PRNewswire release, a governor's endorsement, a county council quote, a commerce department statement. Premier Medical was the flagship at Pelham Road. But the impact was national — six labs, five states, customers in all 50 US states, and 6M+ test kits manufactured locally through CPT Medical. Greenville was the HQ. The network was national.

SC
Premier Medical Laboratory Services
Greenville, SC · HQ
50,000 sq ft flagship on Pelham Rd · 136,000 sq ft expansion at Garlington North
TX
First Medical Laboratory Services
Irving, TX
Announced via PRNewswire, 2022 · Independent CLIA certification
UT
Dynasty Medical Laboratory Services
Hurricane, UT
Acquired March 3, 2022 (PRNewswire, 360Dx, BioUtah)
NC
Meta Lab DX
Charlotte, NC
Acquired September 2022 (SCBio) · 5th lab location
NC
Synapse Analytical Labs
Raleigh, NC
Announced SCBio, September 14, 2022
FL
American Genetics Institute
Delray Beach, FL
DMH network laboratory · divmedinc.com
Sources: PRNewswire (Feb 23, 2022) · SC Governor's Office (.gov) · SC Secretary of Commerce · SCBIO 2022 Life Sciences Conference · Greenville County Council · SCBio · 360Dx · BioUtah · divmedinc.com
Attorney Statement

On the Public Record

“Kevin agreed to this resolution solely to avoid the significant cost, time, and uncertainty of a lengthy trial. The Consent Judgment does not include any finding or admission of wrongdoing on Kevin's part.”
— Attorney Statement · On the Public Record

The Full Greenville Story at kevinsmurdock.com

Senator visits, press archive, attorney statement, 25+ companies founded, and the complete Greenville, SC story — all in one place.

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